'£1bn Of Cuts' For Scots Families

Scots working families will be hit by £1bn pounds of the Chancellor's budget cuts.

George Osborne has frozen working tax credits, and scrapped them completely for anyone who isn't disabled or has children. The Scottish Government says a quarter of a million households are likely to be affected when the new threshold is introduced in April next year. Around 22-thousand families in Fife receive working tax credits

Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray MP, said:

"We know from independent experts that hard working families across Scotland will be made worse off by George Osborne’s budget. Now we know the true extent – a one billion pound bombshell for hardworking Scots. I have already asked the Scottish Secretary to publish a Government assessment. 

"For all the Chancellor’s rhetoric about increasing wages, it is clear he is giving with one hand and taking away with the other. It is a shameful assault on people who go out to work and do the right thing. No amount of spin from George Osborne can disguise the devastating impact of his Budget on families across the country. With extensive new powers over welfare coming to the Scottish Parliament, it is the responsibility the Scottish Government to work with all parties at Holyrood to mitigate the damaging effects of this Tory budget."